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Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen Print
Written by George Ivanoff   
Sunday, 13 March 2005
Doctor Who: The Tomb of the CybermenThe Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive on the planet Telos, where an archaeological expedition from Earth is trying to discover why the Cyberman race has died out. With the Doctor's help the team gains access to the underground tombs where the Cybermen lie frozen. But all is not what it seems - some of the team members have an ulterior motive for being there and the Cybermen themselves are not dead, only dormant, waiting to be re-awakened... which, of course, they are.

Although long considered a classic by fans, this story fails to stand the test of time. While it's certainly well conceived with some poignant and thought-provoking moments, much of the dialogue is cheesy and dated. The story also suffers from some poor effects, some less than convincing performances from guest cast and a general lack-of-budget feel - take note of the numerous stumbled lines that weren't re-shot.

On the plus side there is some interesting set design, made all the more impressive given the shoe-string budget. The regular cast are in fine form and there's also a certain air of nostalgia and charm that make it very watchable.

The DVD release is first-rate, with an excellent restoration job on the sound and picture - just how good it is can be seem by watching the short Remastering feature. As well as commentary, photo gallery and title sequence tests there are three other stand-out extras worth mentioning: an article about the BBC special effects department from a series called Late Night Line-Up, which includes an interview with then department head, Jack Han; a very interesting video of cast and crew from a convention appearance in 1992; a short retrospective interview with director Morris Barry.

There are also three less-than-special hidden extras, which can be accessed as follows:
Highlight the Dr Who logo on the main menu and press enter.
Highlight Patrick Troughton's face on the main menu and press enter.
Highlight the Dr Who logo on the Audio Options menu and press enter.
- George Ivanoff
 
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